


The Truth in Wine

by AKABess



Series: Porno, Porno, Porno! [3]
Category: Stormlight Archive - Brandon Sanderson
Genre: Other, Post-Book 03: Oathbringer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-15 18:07:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18504289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AKABess/pseuds/AKABess
Summary: Adolin and Veil go out drinking.  Drunk Adolin makes some personal revelations to his favorite drinking buddy and sometimes-wife, Veil.  No sex, because Adolin and Veil don't roll that way.





	The Truth in Wine

**Author's Note:**

> More setup. Had to explain the why and how a triad pairing could actually happen. No sex.

"Why does he have to do that?" Adolin muttered over his mudbeer, glaring across the room. He and Veil had been drinking together all evening in various taverns in the Breakaway Market of Urithiru. They'd started at a lighteyes bar, but quickly moved on when Veil began being treated like a servant. Just because she was a darkeyes, didn't mean she was beholden to anyone. Then they'd moved to another pub and spent some time with Jakamav and one of his cronies, and then ANOTHER tavern, and finally here.

Veil couldn't see who Adolin was talking about without looking over her shoulder. She didn't want to turn until she had more information. Even when half drunk and hanging out with her other half's husband, she was still in sneak mode. It's just who Veil was. Let Shallan or Brightness Radiant make their intentions known wherever they went, Veil would always be looking for an opportunity for subterfuge.

"Who's doing what now?" she asked quietly. She kept her eyes on her mug, pretending to contemplate the glaze on the hardened-crem pottery.

Adolin gestured, far less interested in keeping his intentions hidden, or his voice down for that matter. He was far, far more drunk than Veil was, mostly owing to the shots of Horneater White he'd taken with Jakamav two pubs ago. At least he'd paced himself after that. She'd need help if she needed to carry him home.

"Storming Bridgeboy over there," Adolin muttered darkly, brooding behind his mug.

Veil raised an eyebrow. Now what on Roshar could he have to be angry with the Windrunner about? They were friends. Good friends. Brothers in Arms.

"Why does he have to be so storming attractive?" Adolin continued. "He's got great big damn scars on his forehead, a scowl on his face, and his hair's way too long. He shouldn't be that attractive."

"Jealous much?" Veil asked. She'd always found Kaladin to be attractive, even if that attraction disgusted Brightness Radiant and confused Shallan. Veil wasn't so much attracted to his appearance, though she didn't find it distasteful in the least. No, what Veil liked was Kaladin's strength. His power. And how storming _dangerous _he was. Shash was a good choice for a forehead brand, though he'd had no personal choice in the matter. But it fit him _quite _well.

Adolin turned bleary eyes back to his drinking companion, irritated. "No!" he blurted, then paused, considering. "Well, maybe a little. No, it's that he doesn't try AT. ALL. Man has no storming fashion sense. But he makes the uniform look good. Really good."

"It's the body. He's got a storming good body under that uniform," Veil commented. "Running bridges, then feeding off stormlight for a year will do that to a man."

"Yeah. You ever seen him without a shirt on? At the sparring grounds? Storms…"

"Are you mooning?" Veil asked with a start._ "_You almost sound like you have a crush on him."

Adolin blushed and ducked his head.

"You ARE!" she crowed. "You DO!"

"I can't help it! I mean, LOOK at him!"

Veil chuckled. "Oh, I know, Adolin. Trust me. You are NOT alone."

Adolin lifted his head and looked at the woman who was sometimes his wife. "Oh. Right. I guess I forgot. You lobbied Shallan to go after him, didn't you."

Veil shrugged in response. Sharing a body with two other very different personalities was inconvenient sometimes, but it had its benefits. Adolin wasn't her cup of tea, and she wasn't his, but he and Shallan were very good for each other. And Brightness Radiant was far too focused to matter in the situation. She hardly ever came out anymore anyway.

"Eh, he's probably sexless anyway. Never seen him so much as try to chase a woman," Veil finally answered, feigning nonchalance. The truth was, the rejection still stung. And it was worse for not even being HIS rejection.

"Nah, he had a thing for Shallan, back before the wedding," Adolin said, taking a sip of his newly refilled beer. "He told me afterward. Said it wasn't a big deal, but that he'd need to stay away for a while, 'cause we were making him sick with all our affection." Adolin grinned at this, and laughed out loud, blowing foam from the top of his mug.

"You two were pretty disgusting there for a while," Veil said with a smirk. "I couldn't come out for WEEKS while you two busied yourselves with all that sex. In closets, empty rooms in the tower, bathing rooms, that picnic you two went on. You know that chull herder almost saw you? He sure as storms heard you."

"Hey, I DIDN'T start that one, Veil," he said emphatically, gaze drifting back toward the table of bridgemen behind Veil's shoulder.

Veil turned to see what Adolin was staring at. At the bridgemen's table, Kaladin had unbuttoned his uniform jacket and was laughing with his friends. His lean muscled body was outlined starkly in the dim light of the tavern, and she took in a gasping breath as he stood and stretched upward to the rafters of the tent to retrieve someone's beer mug he'd stuck there with stormlight.

A groan came from Adolin's direction, and Veil turned to see her sometimes-husband staring openly at the sight. Damnation. The man really did have a crush on Kaladin.

"Right," she said, making a decision. "We're taking you home before you embarrass yourself." She physically took the mug of beer from Adolin's hand and downed it herself in one long chug.

"But," Adolin tried to protest. "I don't wanna go home yet," he said lamely.

"Too bad. You're gonna make a scene, or throw up before long, and I don't want to have to deal with the mess." That's Shallan's job… she thought to herself, then looked up from where she was trying to lever Adolin to his feet. Oh storms. The crem's already hit the floor.

Kaladin was making his way over to their table. They'd been spotted.

"Get up, storm you!" she said urgently to Adolin in a quiet voice as she threw a handful of spheres into the empty cup to cover their tab.

"I'm trying! You're not making it easy!" he argued back at her, trying to push out his chair and pushing the table back instead.

"Everything okay over here?" Kaladin's voice was friendly as he stopped by their table, jacket still hanging open.

"Just trying to get this fool to bed," Veil said, trying to keep herself nonchalant. Adolin wasn't helping matters much, because somehow he'd gotten one shoe off under the table and was struggling to get it put back on. When had that happened?

Kaladin smiled, watching Adolin finally get his shoe back on. He should smile more, Veil thought. It suits him…

Then Kaladin grasped Adolin by the arm and hauled him to his feet. The highprince stumbled and wound up staggering face first into Kal's chest, grabbing him around the waist to steady and right himself. Veil wanted to hide.

"Need any help?" Kal asked as he steadied Adolin affably. Helpfully. Frustratingly.

"No!" Veil said, just a little too emphatic. Storming prince. Probably did that on purpose so he could smell the man or something. She thought irritably. I wonder how he smells… She shook her head to clear it. "No, I've got him. Taking him straight home right now."

"You sure?" Kal asked, a hand still on Adolin's shoulder as he swayed.

"Yep. Thanks." Veil practically threw the words at Kaladin as she steered Adolin out the door. She was going to have to leave a loooong note for Shallan tonight. Hi Shallan. Did you know your husband has a HUGE crush on Captain Kaladin? Just another thing we have in common haha. Yeah, you might want to talk to him about it, because he's not very good at hiding… anything. She shook her head ruefully and joined Adolin in singing Mari's Two Lovers as they made their way home.


End file.
